Lake Nojiri

The lake located in north of Nagano Prefecture, Lake Nojiri, was formed after a valley was stemmed by the lava. The length of the perimeter of the lake is about 16 km and it is the second largest lake in Nagano Prefecture after Lake Suwa. The area around Lake Nojiri was developed as a summer retreat in the 1920s by a foreign missionary who avoided the bustle of Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, which attracted a lot of people as a resort area. On the southwest side of the lake stretches kokusai-mura (international village) and the areas of summer houses. It reflects the mixture of various cultures. Although Nagano Prefecture doesn’t have the sea, here in Lake Nojiri, you can enjoy water leisure like riding a wakeboard or bass-fishing in summer, and hypomesus-fishing in winter.

(Source: ノリさん / PIXTA(ピクスタ))

Fossils of Naumann elephants

In 1948, the fossils of Naumann Elephants was discovered in Lake Nojiri. Today, there is the Nojiriko Naumann Elephant Museum near the lake to exhibit and study the fossils. Naumann Elephant is Lake Nojiri’s mascot and you will also see a Naumann Elephant Monument standing on the lake side.

(Source: 野尻湖グリーンタウン)

Pleasure Boat to Cruise around the Lake

In Lake Nojiri, you can take the pleasure boats “Miyabi” or “Twin Bee” to cruise around the lake for about 30 minutes from the middle of April to the middle of November. There is a small inhabited island about 700 meters in circumference called Biwa-jima (also known as Benten-jima) in Lake Nojiri. The pleasure boats stays there for about 15 minutes for you to stroll around the island. (Operated by:

(Source: Z432Limitedexpress)

Lake Nojiri Floating Lanterns and Fireworks Festival

Lake Nojiri Floating Lanterns and Fireworks Festival is a summer tradition in Lake Nojiri that has a long history since the mid-Taisho period. The star mines shot up into the sky over the lake and underwater star mines dropped from the motor boat are spectacular. Those fireworks make a breathtaking scenery together with the paper lanterns floating on the lake.